Map (zoom in for more detail)
Directions & GPX etc
Route directions PDF (right click to download)
GPX file (right click to download)
TCX file (right click to download)
FIT file (right click to download)
Glorious Bike Rides
Glorious Bike Rides
Route directions PDF (right click to download)
GPX file (right click to download)
TCX file (right click to download)
FIT file (right click to download)
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I really enjoyed this ride, thanks! I love how you weave history your photography and stories into your descriptions. I’m inspired to come back and ride more in the UK. Your slow biking series on GCN+ got me interested in buying your four England books. I will continue to look for great lanes in my own back yard too, across the pond.
I did this ride yesterday and found the cycle route 64 was closed near the the Twin Lakes park due to a new Melton Mowbray bypass being built. Definitely no way through and not sure how long the closure will last. It’s best, when leaving Melton, to take the Scalford Road which has cycle lanes in the Melton suburbs. I found at 1pm on a Thursday, that this road wasn’t too busy. Alternatively, follow the route into Melton Park and then find a route through the housing estate and pick up the Scalford Road further up. Hope this helps. Another great ride and don’t forget to pick up some Stilton or Shropshire Blue from the Colston Basset shop.
Thanks Tony for the heads up to other readers on the Cycle Route 64 closure, and the suggested detour. Much appreciated. Keep eating that Stilton!
Lovely! Best bit was following the Grantham Canal. It is largely defunct (you won’t be waving to any narrowboaters), but the tow path is great smooth gravel. The path through the woods near Belvoir Castle is rockier than you would expect for Leicestershire. OK though on 32 mm tyres. Can recommend the Old Wharf Café in Hickling as a lunch stop, but gutted to discover the Colston Bassett dairy is closed on sundays (although I’m not sure how appetising a slab of Stilton would be after a few hours of shaking in a saddlebag on a hot day). The ruined St Mary’s church near Colston Bassett is definitely worth a swerve if you like that kind of thing, and we also enjoyed our detour to the Ripstop Café at Langar airfield, where we had an close-up view of the skydivers and the skydiving scene.
Crossing the A52 at the top end of the route is a bit grim (v fast and quite busy); we started and finished at the train station in Bottesford so didn’t have any choice, but if you’re starting in Melton I’m not sure Bottesford is worth the stress of crossing that road x2 (although the ford over the River Devon IS sweet). We rode a shorter version of the route so cannot comment on the disruption to the route with the new Melton Mowbray bypass. One thing is for sure though, there’s loads of options to explore in the Vale of Belvoir and this ride is a great introduction to the area. Our version pon the excursion here: https://www.strava.com/activities/18637963500 Thanks Jack!